A Snow Day, a Canceled Class, and the Quiet Gift of Slowing Down

A Snow Day, a Canceled Class, and the Quiet Gift of Slowing Down

The snow that started falling early this morning is still continuing into the afternoon. Because of this, all classes have been canceled today. Here in the US, in my area, schools close when there's heavy snowfall. Due to poor road conditions, we're essentially stuck at home until the roads are cleared. When I first came to the US, I had a hard time adjusting to these kinds of days. But now I've learned to accept it and just wait until the snow stops. It doesn't snow very often here, but when it does, it accumulates to several inches. There's too much snow to shovel by hand, so I even bought a snowblower.

Now that the snow has stopped, the thought of shoveling it makes my head ache, but I'm grateful that while it was snowing, I could relax without a care in the world, drawing or drinking coffee. It feels like I've been given a forced break, since there are no external schedules to worry about. I put up a drawing on the wall that I quickly sketched yesterday while preparing for my class. It's a drawing I did in a hurry during a 30-minute online pencil drawing class. But somehow, it seems to fit the current situation, and I feel a sense of connection to it.

When I first came to the United States in 2013, we had several years of heavy snowfall during the winters. The snow piled up so high it looked like small hills. There were many days when I spent the entire day shoveling snow. I even heard my neighbor across the street swinging his shovel in the air and shouting, "I'm going to move to Florida next year!" I wonder if that neighbor actually made it to Florida?

​Anyway, winters in the suburbs are harsh. But I've been living here for over 10 years now, and I'm starting to enjoy these snowy days a little more. I can now sit by the window, sipping coffee or hot chocolate, and watch the snow fall. Before, I used to worry about where to get groceries or how to get to the hospital if I got sick. It's a blessing to become familiar with things.

In 2022, when it snowed heavily, I remember seeing large clumps of snow piled up under the eaves of my house in the morning, looking like they were about to slide down. I also remember exchanging photos with my friends, competing to see who had the most snow piled up around their house. Will it pile up like that again today? Anyway, it keeps snowing and snowing.